Wombwell Chosen For National Trial

WOMBWELL has been chosen as the centre for a national trial to make payments without cash by using an app on a smartphone.

The O2 'digital wallet' enables people to transfer cash, compare prices, track their spending and shop - all through an application on their mobile phones.

Now Wombwell has been chosen for a trial analysing how the technology can be used to help people in deprived areas, who may not have bank accounts or access to computers, better manage their money with the app and a linked payment card.

Four High Street shops and 15 Credit Union members, who have all been given smartphones, are taking part in the trial.

Ian Guest, CEO of the Credit Union, said: "We will send the money onto the card and then they've no need to come into our offices to collect it - they can go straight to the shops and maybe they can do some of this at home from the internet."

One of the four High Street shops taking part in the trial is Cole Bros Café, which now benefits from a card reader that not only reads O2 Wallet cards, but debit and credit cards, too. Co-owner Andy Cole said it made payment easier for customers and staff.